Apparatus for stacking and bunching articles



March 1, 1932.

w. J. DE REAMER 1,848,004

APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND BUNCHING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR MK M Q 3 ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND'BUNCHIN'G ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllll W. J. DE REAMER Filed Jan. 21,

March 1, 1932.

INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS March 1, 1932. w, DE REAMER 1,848,904

APPARATUS FOR STA CKING AND BUNCHING ARTICLES 7 Filed Jan. 21, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVQENTOR BY ,L M

' ATTORNEYS claims.

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES r reN-r j WILLIAM 3. DE REAMER, 0F GROWN IEOINT', INDI N AssiGNonIToiaA rns ooNsoLL DATED MANUFACTURING comma, or GRIFFITH, INDIAN A co eromr oN or DELAWARE APPARATUS non. sTAoKfINe' ennisnnonmolimrmms' V 1 Application filedv January 21, 1929. Serial "N10; 3 33 ;&55.

,This invention relates to apparatus for The apparatus shown in the drawings is one'part-ioula-rly' designed to handle hat is a known as egg case flats, although it is to be understood that the apparatus is also applicable to 'the handling of other articles. These flats .are molded from pu'lpand are for the purpose of forming bottoms-for or divisionwallls betw-een the'fillers of egg cases. These flats are molded by automatic device's,

discharged onto an endless conveyer which passes through a drylngoven andthen discharged ontoa second conveyer WlllCh cal riesthem to baling apparatus'where they are stacked, counted and baled. The Work of stacking and counting has heretofore been performed manually andmentally bly .the workman and this operationwhen so per v formed has lbeenso s'lowoasto n-ec-e'ssitatelthe V v r from the side. as shown in Big. 1 of. pQlitions cessation from time .totime of .the automatic molding and drying devices. The improved apparatus is designed to stack and separate into .bun ches ofpredetermined numbers thearticlesgas fastas they; are

discharged from-the-dryer and-itconsistsof devlces for "feeding and stacking the articles 7 in superimposedjcompact -relation and also means'for separatingthe stacked articles into bunches of a-predeterinin-ed number by auto Fig. 'l is a side elevation of a machine in which -my improvements are embodied.

, Fig.2 isan'enlarged vertical section on the-line 22of Fig; "1.

RigQ'B -is an enlarged sectionoi the 'line 3&3 aria- 1 Fig. 4; is a fragmen arr side ele a llls viewed from the opposite side t0 fihatshown infFig, l. p v v Fig.,. is a pa t altop planwiew-g f Fig. .6 is .a partial enaeremcm M view beingTtaken. from fthel right hand, end of Y "Fig. 7 isv an enlarged fragmei'itafr plan view ofiad tail.ofl hemeeha sm Y Fig;- 8 jisfan ,enlarged elevati section Iofla portion of the mechanisin,

Of h m chanism; ith the rare shears ne fiBIQHt position,- Q

' IEig. lOJis an enIaIg dises iQna vi w will? Fig. 11"is an 'enlargedsection on from the sid as hown .in "Fig- A: .Qf portions F so themechanism, shown in edueed's alein i thatfigure.

, Fig. 9Iis :an enlarged elevation ofa portion v i anz nla g d' agm i tary vert al section, and'isan enla g men o partssih wn V iniFig. "l3, land ii'i adifferent position. 1 V

gan. en ge elevation, .viiews g- 17 isian nla ged sectioniqn theyline' 1* '1' of ig .1 6 a d i sim la w iE g- 15 but v ng s m .O e parts in .aii fier nt Workingposition. V

, g? an nl g ,seQtiQn-Qn -the "l n 118718 of'Figpfi; i

v F 19 is an enlarged 19 -19 O'f FigiqlS.

J-Re'ferring to theldr'awings ,l reprejsfil tsthe articles handled by'the apparatus which,fin

. thepresent casei as before stated, are egg case flats. Iii-the present.case;the articles arefied tothefapparatus in successive order by a series of endless conveyer belts 2, a n' d when the articles handled are egg. case fflatsuthese belts may preferably be "the ones which receive the flats from the drying oven. But one end of this conveyer is shown in the drawings, this being the discharge end, 3 representing the pulleys about which these ends of the belts pass. These pulleys 3 may be journalled to run loosely but in the present case are secured by any means to a shaft 4 which in turn is j ournall-ed in each of the frame members 55. At one end of the shaft 4 is secured a sprocket 6 over which passes a chain 7 V by which a motor 8 furnishes power for the operation of the machine.

From the belts2 the articles are transferred to a second conveyer consisting of belts 12, passing over a series of pulleys 11, carried by a shaft 9 ournalled in slidable bearing blocks 10, and also about similar pulleys 14 on a shaft 13, journalled in suitable bearings in the frame members '5. The belts are so placed that the upper runs of the belts 2 coincide with the upper run of the belts 12 to effect a ready transfer of the articles. Power is delivered to the pulleys 14 through the medium of a sprocket 15 secured to the shaft 13,

' sprocket 16011 a shaft 17, a chain 18, sprocket 19 on the shaft 17, chain 20, sprocket 21 on a shaft 22, and sprocket 23 connected by admin 24 with a sprocket 25 on the main shaft 4. The belts l2 operate in the direction of the arrows as shown in Fig. 5, and articles placed thereon are conveyed to the proximity of the shaft 13, where, by reason of the momentum acquired they are projected against a guard 26 which also servesto secure the frame members together.

The articles after being arrested by the guard 26, drop flat-wise into the stacking devices now to be described. These devices comprise a chute-like arrangement, the mouth of which is defined by the downward extensions 5 of the frames 5 and the vertically extending ribs 27. Below the mouth two opposite walls of the chute are formed by flexible conveying devices. one of which is shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 7, in which it will be seen that a pair of chains 23 are held in spaced'apart relation by rods 29 to which are secured by wire loops 30 a length of wiremesh screen material 31. One of these conveyers 31 passes over sprockets 32 at the upper extension of frame members 33 which rest upon the floor and support the forward ends of the frame members 5, then downwardly through a curved channel 34 see Fig. 2) formed by securing metallic plates 35 and 36 to the insideof the curved member 37 of each of the frames 33, and then over a sprocket 38 on a shaft 39 at the extreme forward end of the machine, it being. understood that the length of the machine may be varied according to the number of extension frames 40 that are desired. The conveyer then returns to the original sprockets 32, sprocket 41 being placed at the lower rear point of the frames 33 for this purpose. A similarly 1 eeaooe curvature given to the members 37 and 43.

These parts 49 act to maintain the flats in alignment during their passage through the chute to enable them to be compressed therein, and inasmuch as the flats are formed with cup-shape: raised portions on one side thereof to receive the it is essential that these raised portions on one flat should register with the corresponding depressions of an adjacent fiat. These parts 49 also act to form supports and guides for the markers or spacers hereinafter described.

The direction of travel of the conve ers 31 and 31 is indicated by the arrows in Fig.

4, and the method of'driving will be now explained. Referring to Fig. 1, a crank 50 to whichis secured apin 51 is keyed on shaft 4, one end of a connecting rod 52 bein" 'ournalled on the ain 51 and the o3oo-' a: 1 ll.

site end pivotally connected to a downwa dly extending arm 53. The arm 53 1s bifurcated at its upper end, as best seen in Fig.

16, each branch 53 terminating in bosses in which are inserted bushings 55, which are loosely mounted on a. horizontal shaft 56 which extends through and is journalled in. bearings carried by the frame members 33,

and at a point between the arms 53, a ratchet wheel 57 is secured to said shaft 56. A pawl 58 is slidably mounted in the arm 53, and is thrust upwardly against the wheel 57 by a coiled spring 59; the pawl being preventet from turning by means of a screw 60. From this it will be seen that as the shaft 4 is rotated, the crank-arm 56 transmits reciprocating motion to the arm 53, and thus advances the wheel 57 a certain portion of a revolution according to the degree of eccentricity to which the pin 51 is adjusted, the shaft 56 receiving motion in this manner.

At the opposite end of the shaft 56 is fixed a spur gear 61 mating with a similar gear 62 secured to the shaft 63 on which are fixed the sprockets 32. Also, on shaft 56 is secured one of a pair of sprockets 64 and 65, connected by a chain 66, sprocket 65 being secure. to a shaft 67 carrying the sprockets 42 of the upper conveyer 31". Therefore it will be seen that the articles to be stacked, shown at 1 in broken lines in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, fall through the chute arrangement to the proximity of the conveying belts 31 and 31" and curved angular members 49, and when it is ,mi-ned 1 number of the articles.

explained that the-{friction between thesides sectors of which are placed segments 97 1 of the articles 1 is niaintained normally greater than the frictionlofgthe conveyers-31 and 31 on the sides 1, it will be seen that acompacting effect is produced on the 'SllQS of articles, better illustratedinFig. 1, and

obviates-teen extentthe apparent necessity of, an increased speed of travelof the lower conveyer;31 while it is passing throughthe curved channelSl. For the purpose: of stops ping the conveyors 31 and 31,,with the re-. mainder of the machine. in operation, the pawl 58 is forced downwardly in its bore and maintained out. of engagementswiththeteeth of the ratchet wheelj57, thereheing a lever (seeFigs 1,15, 16 and 17) journa-lled ,on a hub 'of thewheelb'i, a; lower arm: 68" of which lever contacts with said pawl58 and forces it out. ofrengagement as best shown in Fig.'17.'

The devices for separating the stacked articles into bunches each ofapredetermined number, will now be descrihedl It has beer found convenient to indicate to the operator by the prescnceof, in the present case, round rods 69, bestseenin Figs. 1, 18.. and l hthat between any tworods are a'certain predeter As the articlesare conveyed, along by. the beltslQ, being guided and kept straightened by a pair of V-beltsl-TO which are runover pulleys '71 and 72, motion being given through i the pinion 73 on shaftl? and gear 'ilonshaft 71', they must pass under a roller Y5, rotatably mounted in the ends '7 6 'offarms 77 and. 78. These arms 77 ands/. 8 are eachlsecured to acommon shaft 79 journalled in the frame members 5 and allowa substantially, vertical swinging movement ofitherollenqwhicli o'c curs when an article 1 passes underj it. I The arm 7 hasa downward. extending ,armSO, to which at its lower end is pivotally con-' nected oneend of aconnecting rodf81, the

other end heing'connectedjto a. ,double-.ar1ned escapeinent pawl 83b3 means of 'aishort lever The escapeinent pawl 88'is therefore -os cillated' about its fulcrum pin 85 once f0r every article 1 that passes under the roller75, and isso placed in engagement withv an escapement wheel 86 on shaft 8 7that extends through to the'opposit'e'side of the machine, that a step-by-step movement willbe allowed the shaft as the articles pass under the roller 75, a complete revolutionof the wheel 86"re quiring as many articles to pass under the roller as there are teeth 88in the wheel1'(Fig S.. Sand 9).

Referring to Figs. 10', 11 and 12, the shaft 87 is seen to have keyed thereto a sleeve 89 having an adjustable threaded collar 91- at one end and slidably mounted on said sleeve but keyed to'prevent rotation is adisk 92. A spring 94: is interposed between the disk 92 nd collar 91. ltotatahly'mountedlon shaft 87 is asecond disk 95, to'which'i's' secured a;

spider or skeleton-like'inember 96, in the open I a material similar for all purposes tomatov 'rials'used atthe present time for clut'chfacj ings or brake band linings (see Figs, 11. and 12). The shaft 87 18 held against longitudn through its hub extension 195. Byv secursleeve 890:1 shaft '87 at theproperpoint and V adjusting spring collar 91 considerable. pres. surewlll be brought to bear on the segments 97 ,by thedisk 92, so that when disln96; rotates, 1t carries, disk 92;along'with it by the" frictionalengagement.

.On the extended hubportion'95 of the disk'95is arspro-cket 101 over Which a chain l02gpasses, said chain also-passing over a sprocket 103 on shaft 22. At another convenientpoint 'onshaft 87' is fixed a sprocket 104: conneeted'by the'chain 105 to a sprocket 106 on a shaft 107, atthe near end of which (see Fig; :4) is secured a sprocket 108 connected by chain 109 to a similar sprocket 110 (see Figs. 4: and 13) this last sprocket being on a shaftflllcarried in bearings-112,011 a: pair of fixed yoke-shaped supporting members 113se'cured to the frames 5ha'ving upwardly and downwardly extending arms 11d and 115,

respectively, ,in parallel relation with each other. At the upper end of the arms j11 lis secured a sloping frame-work 116adaptedtoreceivethe rods 69, said. 'frame-work servingas a magazineforthe rods (seeFig. 3'). In the inner sides of arms 114 and 115'are vertical grooves 117 through which the ends of the rods69 pass andare released at the proper -time,.sing1y, by the inechanism best shown'in- Figs..13,14,18and195 1 A pairo f rectangularblocks 118 are j fitted for re'ciprocative motion in the, arms, 115' in V horizontal-Ways, and are each provided with a recessed portion 119 and when in position asshown in Fig. 13 an end of one-rodwill be deposited in the corresponding recess each block. If the blocks 118 were to be placed 1n the position shown in Fig. 14-, 1t

willbe seenthat alip 120 in the 'block118 has been advanced under the lower ro'dof those retained in the arm 11 i, and the rod which was in the recess 119 in Fig. 18 has been moved and has fallen-through the openin'g/ 122 in the-block and 011 throughfthe moves in the lowerarms 115' continuing its a r dropthrough grooves 123 in webs5" until it drops; clear on the uppermost of the flats 1,

as'indieated in Fig. 1. The blocks 118 are retained in their respective ways by plates 118', arranged verticallyinpairs forming continuation of thegroove 11'; and serveto remove the rod 69 from the-recess 119 (see.

Fig,l8). H i Theposition ofthe two blocks 118 in 13 maybe termed the receivingposition, since ill one rod 69 has dropped into the recess 119, while in Fig. 14 the release position is shown. The blocks 118 receive the ends only of the rods (see Fig. 19) and move from receiving to release position and return each in synchronism with each other, this being accomplished by the actuating means comprising a cam 12 1 attached to the chain 109 contacting with a lever 125 on a shaft 126, on which shaft is a pair of forked end levers 127. The forked ends of the levers 127 straddle a rod 128 which is passed through each of the blocks 118, with the result that downward pressure on the lever 125 moves the blocks to release position, Fig, 14 and the spring 129, receiving tension during this movement, acts to return the blocks to receiving position as soon as the cam 12% passes the end of the lever 125. The rod-like markers 69 after being deposited upon the flats are supported and guided by the horizontal portions of the parts 19, particularly as the flats and the rods pass through the curved portion and horizontal portion of thechute; otherwise, the rods might drop out of effective position in the flats. v

During the operation of the machine, power is continuously applied to thedisl; 96 in which are the friction segments 97, and since there is frictional engagement of the segments 97 with the disk 92 there is a tendency to rotate said disk 92, but such rotation is not permitted by reason of the hooked end 83 being in positive engagement With one of the teeth 88 of the escapement wheel 86, therefore the segments 97 must slip along the surface of the disks 92.

When, however, an article of sufficient height passes under the roller 7 5, the upward movement of which is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 8, suliicient oscillation is given to the double-arm pawl 83 to cause it to assume the position shown in Fig. 9, in which it is seen that the end 83' has moved out of engagement with the tooth 88 the escapement wheel 86 will rotate, due to the continuously applied friction, but only partially since due to the proportioning of the levers, etc. further rotation is arrested by the contact of the arm 83 with tooth 88 lVhen the article passes from beneath the roller 75, it drops again to the position as shown in the full lines 7 in Fig. 8, the arm 83 moves from engagement with tooth 88", while arm 83 at once catches tooth 88, and a further partial rotation of the escapement wheel 86 is permitted, and as before mentioned, one complete revolution thereof requires the lifting the roller as many times as there are teeth in the escapement wheel 86. The cam 124l'is successively advanced toward contact with the arm 125 by the successive passage of articles under the roller 75, and with proper timing, the position of cam at the point indicated by the dotted line 124; is that position from which one additional rise of the roller 7 5 will release one red.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, mechanism for stacking articles in superimposed relation, and devices for automatically separating said articles into bunches each of a predetermined number comprising temporary markers and devices controlled by the articles for releasing the markers one-by0ne and permitting them to drop by gravity upon the articles.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, mechanism for stacking articles in superimposed relation and devices for automatically separating said stacked articles into bunches each of a predetermined number comprising temporary markers of a rodlilre character and devices controlled by the articles for releasin said markers one-byone at predetermined intervals andpermitting them to drop'by gravity upon said articles.

3. In an apparatus of the character described mechanism for stacking articles in superimposed relation including feeding devices for feeding said articles in successive order, a magazine for individual markers including means at the discharge end of said magazine for permitting the discharge of said markers one by one, and devices con-' trolled by the articles for operating said releasing means after a predetermined number of articles have been fed.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described, feeding devices for feeding articles in successive order, a stacking compartment at the discharge end of said feeding devices, a magazine for markers having a discharge end arranged in proximity to the discharge end of said feeding devices, and devices controlled by said articles for releasing markers one by one from said magazine after a predetermined number of articles have been fed.

' 5. In an apparatus of the character described, feeding devices for feeding articles in successiveorder, a stacking compartment arranged at the discharge end of said feeding devices, a magazine for individual markers of a rod-like character having its discharge end located in proximity to the discharge end of said feeding devices, and devices operated by the articles travelling on said feeding devices for releasing a marker from said magazine after a predetermined number of articles have been fed.

(3. In an apparatus of the character described, feeding devices for feeding articles in successive order in a horizontal direction, a stacking mechanism to receive the articles fed by said feeding devices, a magazine for markers having its discharge end arranged at a point between the discharge end of said feeding devices and said stacking mechaabd ve said pocket.

sin 'le marker and a cut off for the markers" scribed, feeding devices for feeding articles in successive order in a horizontal direc- 3 tion, a stacking mechanism to receive the articles from said feeding devices comprise ing a chute-like structure having a vertical feeding device and terminating in a1; horizontal portion together with means forfeed ing the articles therethrough,a magazine for clcs for releasing a marker from said maga zine after a predetermined'number of articles have been fed to-said' chute structure.

8. In an apparatus of the character de-- scribed, feeding devices for feeding articles,

stacking mechanism to receive the articles fed by said' feeding dev1ce's,a magazme'for markers of a rod-llke character having ts imity to the entrance of said stacking mech--- anism, said magazine having guldes for the ends of said markers leading tothe discharge portion thereof to allow the markers to be. fed'therethrough in successive order, a member at the discharge end of said magazine constructed to receive and release one rod at a time, and means controlled by a predeterminednumber of articles on said feeding devices for'operating saidmember,

9. In an apparatus of thecharacter de scribed, mechanism forstacking articles in superimposed relation, and devices for feeding markers to said stacked. articles to separate the stacks into bunches of predetermined numbers, said devices including a movable feed member for feeding said articles one by one, power-operated means for moving said feed member, and an escapement controlled by the articles for permitting an intermittent movement of said power-operated means.

l0. In an apparatus of the character de-. scribed, mechanism for stacking articles in superimposed relation, a magazine for mark ers, and devices for releasing said markers one by one to separate the stacked articles into bunches of a predetermined number including a slidable feed member at the dis-' charge end of the magazine, a cam lever connected therewith, a movable cam cooperatlng with said cam lever, power .means for moving said cam, and an escapement for saidpower means controlled by the articles.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, mechanism for stacking articles in "$11 markersto j thes'ta ediarticlesfto sepa rate the same into bunches of a p edeterm ed mark;

.. ,70. saidmagazine,power'op ra dmeans 7. In an apparatus-of the character de- I portion arranged at the discharge end ofsaid discharge end arranged at a point in proX-.

eri'inposedfrelatioii, d vicest ein tm i 'ga maze 'fe t movable feed device at he d scharge mo ng s n p o ly operatcdjmembers and mt iuteh connectrrigate same, an es a 'th the intermittently operated members. i

i a paratuSt-r the character fde scribed,-- in'e'chaniism" for stac superimposed frelatiom and devices for auto 'eper'atedfmniters together wi thi ffric penieht controlled the artiicies associated matically separating said stacked articles into bunches each of a predetermined number comprising a magazine for rod-like markers, a slidable feed member at the discharge Ie'ndof said magazine adapted to permit the discharge of said markers oneby one, a cam I i'lever connected with said feed members, an endless chain havingacam cooperating with said cam lever, a shaft having an operative connection with said chain, an escapement associated with-said shaft controlled by said articles, a continuously operating member,

and a permanently engaged friction clutch betweenjsaid shaft and operating member.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, mechanism for stacking articles in superimposed relation, an endless feeding device. leading to said mechanism arranged to feed articles thereto in successive order, a magazine for markers, and means for feedmgmarkers from said magazine comprising power-operated feed devices having an-es- V capement, a pivoted lever having a roller arranged in proximity to the article feeding deviceso as to be-rocked by the articles passing over said. feeding device, and a connection between said lever and said escapement.

14,- In an 'apparatusof the character described, an endless feeding device for feeding. articles in successive order, mechanism .for stacklng articles in superimposed rela tion arranged at the discharge end of said feeding device, and means for automatically"v feeding markersto the stacked articles ineluding a rotatable shaft, a continuously operating member, a permanently engaged friction' clutch connecting'said shaft and mem-;-

ber, a toothed wheel on said shaft, a pivoted double pawl associated with said wheel, a

pivoted lever associated .with said article -feedingdevice having itsfree end arranged in the path of said articles, and a connection betweensaid lever and said pawl. 1

15. In an apparatus of the character del scribed, a stacking mechanism of chute-like determined intervals among said articles,

and supports for said markers extending Z n throughout the length of the chute.

[16. In an apparatus of the character described, a stacking mechanism of chute-like form toieceive'articles, said stacking me'chanism including two movable opposed surfaces, means for depositing markers at predetermined lntervals among said articles, and

supports for said markers extending throughf out'the length of the chute, said supports being in opposed relation at the sides of the chute between the movable surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January, 1929."

' WILLIAM J. DE REAMER. 

